In
their debut season in the top flight, the City Oilers were tagged all
kinds of names – from underdogs to title pretenders. They emerged
champions after seeing out experienced Falcons 4-3 in the seven game
spread playoffs finals.

After
the off season business that saw them add Ben Komaketch and Jeff Omond
to the championship team, it has been different this season. The Oilers
have been out right favorites in every game they have played and no
surprise they were top seeds in the normal season.

Even
if you are blind – to reality, one thing you can’t miss to see is the
fact that City Oilers are by far the most organized team (by all
parameters) in the local game.

Their
coach, Mandy Juruni knows exactly what organization can do. The soft
spoken coach associated last season’s triumph to organization.

“It is about being organized and taking your chances” he said back then.

The
UCU Canons were the only team to win a first-round playoff series in
three games. If that says anything, it should be that Canons faced
tougher opponents. City Oilers meanwhile had a clean sweep of Sharing.
UCU’s coach, Nick Natuherza says

(Playing
City Oilers) It is a different challenge. We have got to play well
inside-out and we have got to start with defending first” he told Kawowo
Sports after Game 3 with Falcons.

Having
beaten his team in the last four league meetings, Mandy Juruni (while
he looked relaxed) admitted they have got to be more cautious playing
against the Canons. Juruni said after the second round loss the UCU

We have got to give due respect to a team that beats us whenever we meet. We just have to figure out how to beat them.

Sudi
Ulanga and Sunday Okot were unfazed by Falcons’ defense and center Ivan
Lumanyika helped Canons control the paint. Now, the Canons will have to
get past the toughest and physical brand of perimeter defense to get
everything they want at the rim.

UCU’s
under the hoop players, Ivan Lumanyika and Desmond Owili (who mostly
might be at 4) will find it tough to get close looks against Kami
Kabange, Arou Ramadhan and Samuel Kalwanyi. Ulanga will have to make
some tough shots in the face of Jeff Omondi and Jimmy Enabu as he will
without doubt be the center of attention on City Oilers’ defensive end.
It (defense) is something the City Oilers are not shying away from.
Jimmy Enabu says:

“It
will come down to good team defense. We intend to limit him (Ulanga).
It will not be me or Jeff (Omondi) but any other guard who comes within
the team’s rotation”

Finishing
fourth seed and dispatching the Falcons at the first round, the Canons
knew the journey to their first championship round would have to go past
holders City Oilers, but that’s where it ends. Canons may have handled
the regular season series pretty well – winning both normal season games
but this is the business end of the season, City Oilers will be an
absolute juggernaut.City Oilers guard, Jimmy Enabu told Kawowo Sports:

We have lost to them a number of times which challenges us to get better. I believe we are better prepared.

Samuel Kalwanyi in his own words echoed Enabu saying:

This is our time to show that we are the best team irrespective of how many times we have lost to these guys”

Prediction:As
much as I want to believe this Canons team can make some noise because
they have a knack of making life miserable for City Oilers, I also think
this Oilers’ machine just seems too good to break down especially at
this level. While both teams have got a lot of offensive potential to
produce heavy offensive games, defense seems first for both teams. We
could see a series of low scoring games. I go with City Oilers in 4